Anti-VSU protesters hit parliament

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Usually non-political university religious groups and sports
clubs have voiced their concerns over federal government plans to
introduce voluntary student unionism (VSU).

Several federal MPs and dozens of students protested outside
Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday as part of the
long-running campaign against VSU.

National Union of Students president Felix Eldridge said the
protest included representatives from various NSW and ACT
university sports, social and religious clubs who were not normally
involved in student politics.

"For ordinary students to come here to federal parliament is a
big thing," Mr Eldridge said.

"It's been well documented that people don't feel as well
connected to democracy and to their representatives as they used
to.

"So I think it's a really great thing that we've been able to
get some people here who aren't involved in student activism."

Sydney University Evangelical Union representative Andrew
Robinson said members of Australia's largest student Christian
association would suffer under the changes.

He said the student union provided both funding and space for
events such as prayer meetings and conferences.

"Being a member of a religious society on campus has really made
my uni experience," Mr Robinson said.

"So without a student union to support religious societies, it
would just ruin life on campus.

"With user pays, people have to be certain it's something that
they want to pay for, whereas now it encourages an environment
where people can try things out and I think that's really important
for religious societies in particular."

Under laws currently before parliament, university students will
no longer have to join student unions and pay compulsory union
fees.

The changes would mean the introduction of user pays to
subsidised services such as childcare, health care, food,
entertainment, sporting clubs, accommodation advice, counselling
and student support services.